Andrea Batista Schlesinger

Andrea Batista Schlesinger

"Since 2002, Andrea Batista Schlesinger has led the effort to turn the Drum Major Institute, originally founded by an advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement, into a progressive policy institute with national impact.

"Under Andrea's leadership as Executive Director, DMI has released several important policy papers to national audiences, including ŒPrinciples for an Immigration Policy to Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class², 'Middle Class 2004: How Congress Voted', and 'People and Politics in America's Big Cities'; launched its nationally recognized Marketplace of Ideas series highlighting effective public policy; and, created a Fellows program to enable grassroots activists to translate their experiences into the conversation about public policy.

"From appearing on the Lou Dobbs Show talking about Congress and the middle class, to speaking on radio stations across the country on topics including immigration and the President¹s State of the Union address and to repeated mentions in The Nation.com and regular features on Huffington Post, Andrea is a dynamic young voice speaking about the role of policy in people¹s lives. She has moderated panels featuring noted guests such as Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, Andy Stern, president of SEIU, Congressman Jerry Nadler, Congresswoman Hilda Solis, Editor of The Nation Katrina vanden Heuvel and Rev. Forbes of Riverside Church. An expert on young people and Social Security reform, Andrea has also served on panels on the subject for The Century Foundation and the Institute for Women In Policy Research. Andrea has been profiled in the New York Times, New Yorker magazine, Latina Magazine and in 'Hear us Now,' an award-winning documentary about her tenure as the student member of the New York City Board of Education. She has been published in Alternet.org, New York Newsday, New York Sun, Crain¹s New York Business, TomPaine.com, City Limits magazine and The Mississippi Sun Herald. Andrea studied public policy at the University of Chicago. She has worked in various capacities to promote educational equity and youth empowerment. She directed a national campaign to engage college students in the discussion on the future of Social Security for the Pew Charitable Trusts, and served as Director of Public Relations of Teach For America before working as the education advisor to Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. She grew up and currently lives in Brooklyn."


 * Political Advisor, Roosevelt Institution
 * Editorial Board, The Nation